Hair dryer bonnet



March 26, 1968 R. E. PETRICK HAIR DRYER BONNET 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 2, 1966 www,

March 26, 1968 R. E. PETRICK HAIR DRYER BONNET 2 Sheets-Shaml 22 Filed March 2, 1966 United States Patent O 3,374,551 HAIR DRYER BONNET Russell E. Patrick, Park Ridge, Ill., assiguor to Bretford Manufacturing, Inc., a corporation of Illinois Filed Mar. 2, 1966, Ser. No. 531,315 4 Claims. (Cl. 34-99) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A hair dryer bonnet wherein the wall is defined by a plurality of folded pleats meeting in inwardly and outwardly folded vertices, forming vertical channels in the interior of the bonnet. Also the panels of each pleat are further slightly folded about a diagonally extending line.

This invention relates to a hair drying apparatus and more particularly to a new and improved bonnet for a hair dryer.

This invention is an improvement of the invention disclosed in the co-pending application of Horst Genger, Ser. No. 439,561, entitled, Hair Dryer Bonnet, led Mar. 15, 1965, now Patent No. 3,335,503, and assigned to the assignee of this invention.

This invention is` in brief, directed to an improved bonnet structure for use with a rotating fan blade of the type which thrusts air currents gener-ally radially outwardly from the axis of rotation of the blade. This bonnet is provided with generally axially extending channels in the interior wall 0f the bonnet so as to cooperate with the generally radially outwardly thrust air currents from the fan blade to produce small whirling tempestuous currents of air closely adjacent the interior of the bonnet which whirl in a pattern closely adjacent about the head of a user of the hair dryer.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a new and improved bonnet for a hair dryer.

It is a general object of this invention to provide a new and improved bonnet for a hair dryer wherein the interior of the bonnet is provided with -a plurality of generally axially extending angular channels for redirecting air in a tempestuous air pattern closely adjacent the interior of the bonnet.

It is another object of this invention to provide a new and improved bonnet for a hair dryer particularly suited for use with a rotating fan blade of the t-ype which generally thrusts air radially outwardly from the axis of rotation, wherein the interior of the bonnet has a plurality of channels which extend generally axially with respect to the axis of rotation of the blade and the axis of the bonnet, the walls of the channels being in a position to redirect the radially outwardly thrust air currents in a rebounding pattern to create a plurality of small whirling currents of air closely adjacent the interior of the bonnet.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a new and improved bonnet for a hair dryer of a type having -a fan blade which thrusts air generally radially outwardly from the axis of rotation of the blade, wherein the dryer is provided with a series of generally axially extending channels with respect to the axis of the fan blade and the axis of the bonnet, and wherein the bonnet is tapered generally inwardly from a circumferential point intermediate its ends to assist in maintaining the whirling pattern of air currents within the limits of the bonnet.

Other4 objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view, partially broken away in section, of a hair dryer utilizing the bonnet of this invention;

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FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the walls of the bonnet taken from below the bonnet as shown in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a section view as indicated on line 3 3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal section view taken generally along line 4 4 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 5 is a vertical section View taken generally along line S-S of FIGURE 1.

Referring now to the drawings, in FIGURE 1 there is shown a hair dryer generally indicated 10. The dryer consists of three basic sections, a motor chamber 12, a fan chamber 14 and a drying chamber 16. The motor chamber 12 is defined by an inverted substantially pan-like housing in which a motor (not shown) is mounted.

The motor drives a shaft 18 which extends into the fan chamber and to which a fan blade 20 is attached for rotation responsive to actuation of the motor. The fan blade 20 is of the type described in the aforementioned co-pending application of Genger, S.N. 439,561, now U.S. Patent No. 3,335,503, which generally thrusts air radially outwardly from its axis of rotation as it is driven.

The fan chamber 14 is :also a generally n'verted substantially pan-like housing which opens to the hair dry- .ing chamber 16. A bracket 21 is provided on the fan chamber for mounting the same to a standard 21a.

The hair drying chamber 16 is defined by bonnet 22 of this invention. Bonnet 22 has a generally ovoid or bell-shaped interior and outer configuration including an open end 24 of a size to receive the head of a user and an open top 26 adjacent fan chamber 14. Preferably the bonnet is molded of a suitable plastic material. Top end 26 is provided with an inwardly opening circumferential groove 28 constructed and :arranged to receive an outer flange 30 on the lower end of the fan cham-ber to thereby afford a means for mounting the bonnet to the fan chamber.

The interior of the bonnet is provided with a plurality of generally axially extending channels generally indicated 34. The axial chanels 34 are formed in the several axial panels 36 which are longitudinally folded along an outwardly facing longitudinally or axially extending vertex 38. The bonnet is preferably formed so that it comprises a circumferential succession of such panels 36. These panels are also folded about a medial fold line 42 to give the bonnet an inwardly tapering configuration towards both ends from the medial fold line 42 in the several axial panels 36.

Each panel 36 is further divided into a plurality of substantially identical sub-panels 44, two of such panels being above line 42 and two being below line 42, and two of such panels being to one side of each outwardly extending vertex 38 and two of such panels being on the other side of cach vertex 38. Thus as air is thrust outwardly towards the inner walls of the bonnet, it will rebound frorn panels 44 on either side of vertex 38. In addition, there will be some rebounding between the panels 44 above medial line 42 and panels 44 below medial line 42.

The sub-panels 44 are further divided into portions 46 and 48 on either side of a diagonal line 49 which extends from the intersection of vertex 38 with medial line 42 and' to the intersection of inwardly directed vertex 40 with one of the shoulders 50a and 50b at the top or bottom of the bonnet, respectively. An inwardly facing annular ring or lip 52a and 52h extends from shoulders 50a and 5012 and forms a channel or groove such as the groove 2S utilized to secure the bonnet to the flange 30 on the lower end of the fan chamber.

and 48 on each panel 44 further serve to break up the currents of air into small whirling tempestuous patterns and to maintain such currents captivated about the inner periphery of the bonnet walls between the top and bottom portion thereof. Thus as the fan blade. is rotated to draw warm air and thrust it radially outwardly and direct it downwardly into the bonnet, the air currents will rebound between the sides of the axial channel 34, dened by the sub-panels 44 to produce small whirling currents of air. These currents will be further subdivided towards the opposite ends of the bonnet where the demarcation between portions 46 and 48 of each panel 44 is more pronounced. In addition, the medial taper of the bonnet from line 42 towards the opposite ends will also cause rebounding of the currents to a slight degree along opposite sides of line 42. The net effect is to create a highly elcient whirling tempestuous air pattern throughout the periphery of the bonnet which has a most eiicient drying action.

The foregoing vdetailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and noy unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, as some modifications -may lbe obvious to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. For use with a hair drying apparatus having a rotatable fan blade of a type which thrusts air generally radially outwardly from the axis of the fan blade, the improvement which comprises: a generally ovoid bonnet of substantially rigid material having a sleeve-like body with open ends defining the interior yand exterior walls of the bonnet, one end forming the bottom having an opening of a size and shape to receive the head of a user; and a plurality of generally axially extending nite channels in the interior of the sleeve-like bonnet wall dened by folded wall portions which meet in an outwardly pointing vertex, said channels providing a means for deecting air thrust outwardly from a fan yblade into rebounded whirling currents of air about the interior wall which will be closely adjacent the head of a user of the hair dryer.

2. For use with a hair drying apparatus having a rotatable fan blade of a type which thrusts air generally radially outwardly from the axis of the fan blade, the improvement which comprises: a generally ovoid bonnet having a sleeve-like -body with open ends deining the interior and exterior walls of the bonnet, one end forming the bottom having an opening of a size and shape to receive the head of a user; and a plurality of generally axially extending channels in the interior of the sleevelike bonnet wall, having successive outwardly and inwardly directed folded wall portions which meet in successively outwardly and inwardly directed vertices, said folded wall portions being angular in cross sectional conguration, said channels providing a means for deflecting air thrust outwardly from a fan blade into rebounded whirling currents of air about the interior wall which will be closely adjacent the head of a user of the hair dryer.

3. The hair drying bonnet of claim 2 wherein the interior of the bonnet also tapers generally inwardly towards said open end and towards an opposite end of the bonnet from a circumferential line intermediate the ends of the bonnet.

4. The hair drying bonnet of claim 3 wherein each of said inwardly directed wall portions has an intermediate fold line extending from the circumferential line about which the bonnet tapers and the intersection between the outwardly directed vertex to the inwardly directed vertex at an opposite end of the bonnet.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,086,534 4/1963 Gorter et al. 34-99 X 3,113,848 12/1963 Clark 34--99 FOREIGN PATENTS 238,410 11/ 1959 Australia. 956,375 8/ 1949 France. 170,158 7/ 1951 Germany.

FREDERICK L. MATTESON, JR., Primary Examiner.

A. D. HERRMANN, Assistant Examiner. 

